Hidden in the
Woods (2012)
Review by Jude
Felton
Every once in
a while a movie comes along that courts controversy. Sometimes this is
intentional, and sometimes it just can’t be avoided. Either way, it usually
results in an increased amount of press, regardless of the quality of the film
itself. Hidden in the Woods, or “En las afueras de la ciudad” as it is known in
its native Chile, is one movie that has acquired a certain amount of
controversy, due in main to patrons leaving the theater during its festival
run. After having watched the movie, I can sort of see why, looking at it with
mainstream eyes, but as a fan of cult cinema I think it is slightly unfounded.
If your
average Joe, or Josette, sat down and watched Hidden in the Woods, I am sure
that would have a mental episode, as what happens on screen is not something
you see in your everyday horror flick. It is an intense affair, and actually
rocks the worlds of exploitation and grindhouse, more so than horror, and
paints its brutal picture with all the subtlety of a pit fight. This is a mean,
visceral and unapologetically brutal foray into a world most of us pray to
never see. The reason I say this, is that the film is apparently based on true
events, although I suspect that have been greatly exaggerated.
What is this
beast about though? Why the flurry of baiting comments and hyperbole? Yeah, I
guess I should really fill you in on that, as loosely as I ever do.
Two young
girls, Anny and Ana live in the woods with their father. He’s a brute and has a
rather objectionable relationship with his daughters. They also have a deformed
brother, whose arrival is one such scene that’ll rattle a few folk. Anyhoo, the
father deals with the local drug lord and things go tits up when the police
start sniffing around.
Cue an
incredible bloodbath and the father goes on the run, with the drug lord
convinced either he or his daughters have his merchandise. This results in him
sending a bunch of goons into the woods to find the family and the drugs.
That’s really
a fairly loose explanation of a plot that, whilst fairly simple, goes off in
many different tangents which involve sex, cannibalism and copious amounts of
violence. Hidden in the Woods is a rough old flick, of that you can be sure.
However, unlike the recent I Spit on Your Grave 2, which is just plain hard to
watch (due to content and quality combined), Hidden in the Woods is actually
damned good fun. Maybe fun is not the right word, but this is still a viciously
entertaining slice of cinema. It’s also a film that will divide audiences in
much the same way as films like The Bunny Game and The Lords of Salem has; I
can’t see there being much middle ground here.
Hidden in the
Woods is a non-stop barrage of ugly imagery and even uglier people, even if the
daughters are quite easy on the eye. No one gets out of this film smelling of
roses, probably because they are caked in blood. This film is brutal, just in
case you missed it.
On the
downside of this, the subtitles are fairly grim and I think something got lost
in translation. Apparently calling the girls hookers every two minutes is the
way to go, and Sunday is not the answer to “how is everything?” For me though,
it was a minor distraction from a film that bristles with untamed energy as it
punches your senses.
Director
Patricio Vallandares, who also co-wrote the film, has delivered a film that
probably won’t make too many friends, and I doubt very much if he cares. Hidden
in the Woods is what it is, and you’ll either dig it or you’ll hate it. As you
may have guessed I fall firmly into the side that totally enjoyed it; I loved
its raw look, the savage intensity and the sheer futility of events. I don’t
recall one “money shot” that the film relied on to sell it, unlike some other
so-called extreme movies. Instead, this is just unrelenting from start to
finish.
The DVD,
which is released by Artsploitation, is an impressive beast as well. There’s a
reversible sleeve, with the reverse featuring improved artwork, a short but
informative booklet, an interview and some behind the scenes footage. All in
all a fine job has been done, with this slick looking package.
Overall
though, you have to take this film for what it is; you’ll either “get” it, or
you won’t. You’ll love it or hate, and quite honestly I can see both sides of
this. It’s not light or easy viewing, but then it’s not supposed to be.
Hidden in the
Woods is trash cinema dialed up to ten, shot in the balls and left for dead.
Hidden in the Woods is available now on DVD and VOD from Artsploitation Films.
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